Vtech InnoTab2 Learning App Tablet Review

If you are like me and get nervous about handing over your expensive phone or tablet to your child so they can play games or watch videos, hoping that they won't drop it or set it down somewhere they cannot remember two seconds later, then check out the InnoTab2 by Vtech. You may be familiar with the previous InnoTab, and the newer version is similar but with some very beneficial and useful upgrades for little growing minds, the InnoTab2 continues to combine learning and technology into a durable package for little hands.

Main features and specifications:

2GB internal memory, expandable up to 32GB w/ memory card slot

17 built-in apps

Rotating 1.3 MP camera/video recorder

Built-in microphone

5" color touch screen w/ tilt sensor

MP3 player

Cartridge play plus downloadable games, apps, stories, music and video

Four user profiles plus one guest profile

Requires 4 AA batteries

Parental controls

400 Mhz processor

Includes two styluses

For ages 3-9 years

Dimensions: 1 x 6.2 x 8.1 inches

Weight: 2.6 pounds

Available in pink or blue

What We Liked:

Round Up The Kids: The layout of the InnoTab 2 is definitely kid friendly. With brightly colored, easy to push buttons found on the front of the device and a colorful and easy to understand touch screen, your child will have this tablet running in no time. On the front of the device, buttons for the camera, power and screen brightness can be found at the top and buttons for volume, help and home can be found on the bottom half. A slot for cartridges, the stylus holder, battery compartment, SD memory card slot and stand can all be found on the backside of this tablet. The AC adapter jack, headphone jack and USB port can all be found on the top right side of the device. Most importantly though, all compartments and components on the InnoTab2 are easy to open, push, pull out and games are easy to plug in, which is very important for those little and often impatient hands.

Picture Pizzazz: My kids really loved the camera on this tablet. With its ability to rotate and switch back and forth from taking pictures of themselves to everyone and everything around them, the 1.3MP camera on this little tablet keeps the entertainment personal and fun. The rotating camera can be found at the top of the InnoTab2 and is easy to toggle from front to back, even for the youngest of users. Picture quality was pretty decent too, not that kids are all that picky about picture clarity one way or another. My kids loved being able to edit and add special effects to their pics and even put their photo into different games and apps. Making movies was simple too and the mic found on the front of the tablet produced pretty decent sound clarity for a kid's tablet. Hearing their laughter and excitement when they saw themselves onscreen made this tablet special to them and provided entertainment that we could enjoy together.

Designed With Kids In Mind: The pull out stand which folds into the back of this tablet means that kids can also enjoy hands free game play or they can use the stylus to maneuver the touch screen. Many of the games are designed to improve learning and with the ability to add up to four separate users plus a guest, the InnoTab allows a multi-kid household to save money and buy one device to share, although working out who gets the tablet for how long may lead to some fighting amongst siblings, something we know all too well in our household. If your kiddos are prone to dropping your precious phone or iPad, than this may be the device you need to wean them off of the grown-up tech.

There is also an SD slot built-into this tablet, so you can add even more memory to the tablet, a feature which other kid's tablet and learning systems do not even touch. Built with rubberized corners and sturdy plastic throughout, this tablet can take a beating and keep on going. Like I said earlier, if your kid is good at dropping things or they play a little too rough or fight over toys, then you may want to purchase a carry case, storage tote or folio case to protect your investment, which range in price from $10-$14 a piece. To get the most out of the battery life, you may also want to purchase an AC adaptor or rechargeable batteries ($10 & $18) so you don't have to worry about having new batteries constantly on hand.

Learning Lodge Navigator (LLN): The box included a CD to install the Learning Lodge Navigator, Vtech's way of allowing users to hook up their InnoTab2 to their computer and download content straight to it. Although loading times took longer than we had patience for at times (let's face it, we are in a "see it, download it fast" society of tech toys), having the ability to download e-books, music, games and stories straight to the tablet instead of having to go and buy a cartridge was an added bonus.

Extras Included: The InnoTab2 comes preloaded with 17 apps, art studio, coloring app, one e-book, two motion sensor games, two free downloads from the LLN, one game cartridge (Read, Play & Create), an extra stylus, a USB cable and LLN installation CD.

Wish List: If this tablet is on your child's wish list, it is affordable and can be found for around $70 from most retailers. Downloadable content can be found on the Vtech website and most games and e-books start at $2.99 and go up to $7.99, and game cartridges range in price from around $18 to $25.

What We Didn't Like:

Loading: Get used to this word because it shows up every time you open an app, go to the home page, download content and pretty much do anything else on this tablet. The lag in loading time proved how little patience some of my children (and even myself) had with the tablet after only a little while of use.

Keep Batteries Handy: After a couple days of use, the batteries in this tablet had to be changed and if your kiddo plays for hours at a time, you may just want to invest in some rechargeable batteries.

Age Range: The recommended age range for this tablet is 3-9 years, but I would have to say that older kids will probably lose interest after awhile. Many of the games and activities that come preloaded on this tablet are geared toward the younger age groups and even my seven year old was tired of playing some of the games after a couple uses.

Our Verdict:

The InnoTab2 is a great learning device for children and does a great job of teaching while kids are having fun. The camera and ability to add more memory to this tablet give it an advantage over similar tablets on the market. I appreciated being able to download content directly to the device and with a sturdy build, this tablet can take a licking and keep on ticking!